The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

3.—(1) This paragraph applies to a person who— N.I.

(a) immediately before the appointed day is a gas undertaker; and

(b) before the end of the period of 3 months beginning with the appointed day, is granted a licence under Article 8.

(2) The 1977 Order shall, notwithstanding anything in this Order, continue to have effect in relation to a person to whom this paragraph applies until the day on which a licence is granted to him under Article 8.

(3) Where a person to whom this paragraph applies has, before the grant to him of a licence under Article 8, applied to the Department under Article 16 of the 1977 Order for an order vesting land in him, all proceedings under that Schedule in relation to that application may be continued and completed as if this Order had not been made.

(4) Any land compulsorily acquired by a person to whom this paragraph applies under Article 16 of the 1977 Order (whether by virtue of sub-paragraph (3) or otherwise) shall be treated for the purposes of this Order as compulsorily acquired under Part I of Schedule 2.

(5) Where, immediately before the grant to a person to whom this paragraph applies of a licence under Article 8, there is in force an agreement, deed, bond or other instrument which—

(a) confers or imposes on that person any rights or obligations; and

(b) refers (in whatever terms and whether expressly or by implication) to any provision of the 1977 Order, to that person's status as a gas undertaker or to the statutory purposes of his undertaking,

the instrument shall have effect, in relation to anything falling to be done after the grant of that licence, as if that reference included or, as the case may require, were a reference to any corresponding provision of this Order, to his status as a licence holder or to purposes connected with the activities authorised by his licence.

(6) Anything which, immediately before the grant to a person to whom this paragraph applies of a licence under Article 8, is in course of being done—

(a) under the provisions relating to street works in Schedule 1 to the 1977 Order; or

(b) with a view to, or otherwise in connection with, the granting of a consent under Article 13 of the 1977 Order,

by, to or in relation to that person (including any legal proceedings to which that person is a party) may be continued and completed under the 1977 Order as if this Order had not been made.

(7) Any street works executed by a person to whom this paragraph applies under the 1977 Order (whether by virtue of sub-paragraph (6) or otherwise) shall be treated for the purposes of this Order as executed under Schedule 3 to this Order.

(8) Any consent granted to a person to whom this paragraph applies under Article 13 of the 1977 Order (whether by virtue of sub-paragraph (6) or otherwise) shall be treated for the purposes of this Order as granted under Schedule 3 to this Order.